Teaching Your Dog To Heal
The heel command teaches your dog to stay close to you as you walk, either with or without a lead. This is a really good command as it teaches your puppy/dog to walk well at your side. Walking nicely on a lead and walking to heel right next to you is a completely different skill set. A dog’s walk is naturally a faster pace than a human, so this skill is difficult for some puppy/dogs to master as they have to modify their pace to suit yours. Try by walking next to a wall in your home, your puppy/dog will need to be between you and the wall. This should make this exercise a little easier for your puppy/dog to stay close to you.
Training Techniques
Start by getting your puppy/dog to follow a piece of food that you have in your hand. If your dog is not food motivated, use a ball or toy instead. Show the food to your dog and then put it in your left or right hand. You then need to hold your hand against the left or right side of your body depending on what is comfortable for you, so your puppy/dog learns to follow the food in your hand. Then walk forward and encourage your puppy/dog to follow the food, which now acts as a lure. Walk for approximately ten steps and then stop. Praise your puppy/dog and reward them with the food. If you want your puppy/dog to sit at this time, then either give them the command or move into them to your body while saying, 'stop.' That will teach them to stop and sit at the same time. Repeat this exercise several times gradually increasing the number of steps you take.
What you eventually want to achieve is to show your puppy/dog that walking next to you brings good things. You’ll need to repeat this technique until your puppy/dog understands what you expect every time. So say your dog’s name then follow this up with the command “heel” and walk off with your hand tapping your side to encourage your puppy/dog to follow. Once your puppy/dog understands and is managing to complete this task each and every time, then its time to use rewards sporadically while still praising them. If your puppy/dog walks ahead of you, then change direction and repeat the command, tapping your thigh again. Then really praise them.
Vary this routine by turning left, right or doing a circle, saying 'heel' as you turn. The sit when you stop should also now be automatic. Make sure your puppy/dog has mastered heeling indoors before trying it outdoors, where there are far more distractions and it is harder for them to concentrate. You shouldn’t ask your puppy/dog to heel all the time when on a walk, but do practice it a couple of times.
The heel command teaches your dog to stay close to you as you walk, either with or without a lead. This is a really good command as it teaches your puppy/dog to walk well at your side. Walking nicely on a lead and walking to heel right next to you is a completely different skill set. A dog’s walk is naturally a faster pace than a human, so this skill is difficult for some puppy/dogs to master as they have to modify their pace to suit yours. Try by walking next to a wall in your home, your puppy/dog will need to be between you and the wall. This should make this exercise a little easier for your puppy/dog to stay close to you.
Training Techniques
Start by getting your puppy/dog to follow a piece of food that you have in your hand. If your dog is not food motivated, use a ball or toy instead. Show the food to your dog and then put it in your left or right hand. You then need to hold your hand against the left or right side of your body depending on what is comfortable for you, so your puppy/dog learns to follow the food in your hand. Then walk forward and encourage your puppy/dog to follow the food, which now acts as a lure. Walk for approximately ten steps and then stop. Praise your puppy/dog and reward them with the food. If you want your puppy/dog to sit at this time, then either give them the command or move into them to your body while saying, 'stop.' That will teach them to stop and sit at the same time. Repeat this exercise several times gradually increasing the number of steps you take.
What you eventually want to achieve is to show your puppy/dog that walking next to you brings good things. You’ll need to repeat this technique until your puppy/dog understands what you expect every time. So say your dog’s name then follow this up with the command “heel” and walk off with your hand tapping your side to encourage your puppy/dog to follow. Once your puppy/dog understands and is managing to complete this task each and every time, then its time to use rewards sporadically while still praising them. If your puppy/dog walks ahead of you, then change direction and repeat the command, tapping your thigh again. Then really praise them.
Vary this routine by turning left, right or doing a circle, saying 'heel' as you turn. The sit when you stop should also now be automatic. Make sure your puppy/dog has mastered heeling indoors before trying it outdoors, where there are far more distractions and it is harder for them to concentrate. You shouldn’t ask your puppy/dog to heel all the time when on a walk, but do practice it a couple of times.
- Troubleshooting:
For a puppy/dog to heel on command requires a considerable amount of impulse control, especially for a young puppy/dog especially when they are excited to be out and about on a walk. Reinforce the command indoors again, so when taking it outside and build up from walking on a quiet street, to other areas such as parks, shops where there will naturally be more distractions. -
